Government small print promises nuclear bailout

Buried in the nuclear white paper published today is a commitment by the government to bail out nuclear power if something goes wrong.

Reacting, Greenpeace executive director John Sauven said:

"After all the promises from ministers that the private sector would pay the full costs of new nuclear power stations, we find it wasn't true. Buried in the small print of their announcement is the revelation that tax payers will foot the bill if something goes wrong. Much about the government's nuclear spin has been fundamentally dishonest."

Paragrph 3.52 of the white paper states: "Our policy on waste and decommissioning for new nuclear power stations is designed to ensure that operators make adequate arrangements to cover the full costs of decommissioning and a full share of waste management costs. Operators are responsible for decommissioning and waste management costs. If the protections we are putting in place through the Energy Bill prove insufficient, in extreme circumstances the Government may be called upon to meet the costs of ensuring the protection of the public and the environment."